Letters to the editor for Nov. 27, 2009

To the editor:
For Tuolumne County, it just keeps getting worse. Businesses are still closing,
As for the county administrator and board, it is “spend it like ya got it.” They take $4.4 million from our county employees, lay them off and destroy their holidays. Then they borrow $8 million from our future to buy an overpriced, inaccessible vacant lot.
The insanity does not end, neither the county nor the state (aka “we”) have any money. Where are we getting $21 million for an unneeded youth detention facility?
But first, they must tear dozens of “behavioral health” patients away from their families and move them to another county or stop their care altogether.
Thousands of hungry residents (food banks hurting badly), real threat of closing our domestic violence facilities (battered women shelter in need of supplies), hundreds homeless, hundreds out of work, foreclosures at record levels. Heck, I do not have to tell you this stuff; most of you are living it.
So what are your priorities? Do you spend every single penny you have plus millions more on unneeded buildings, or do you take care of your “family” first? Get involved people, we have a bona fide crisis on our hands, and our leadership is just whistling past the cemetery.
Domenic Torchia,
President, Tuolumne County
Democratic Club

Odiferous stench

To the editor:
In a recent letter to the editor (Postage Stamp, Nov. 20th), Dorris Kindvall indicated her sadness that we have a Muslim stamp. The stamp that she refers to was first issued in the summer of 2001, honoring the country’s Muslim population (which now exceeds 7 million). It commemorates two Muslim holidays (just as numerous other stamps commemorate Christian and Jewish ones) and is now part of the Postal Service’s Holiday Series. It has been re-issued on several occasions to account for increases in postage. I applaud our Postal Service’s continued effort to support one of our country’s most fundamental and important rights: the freedom of religion.
The writer also encouraged us to “... make a ‘stink’ with our government” about this stamp. I personally don’t think this is necessary, because the odoriferous stench generated by her thoughts on this matter should be more than enough for everyone.
Bill Hansen
Sonora

Monstrous bill

To the editor:
There have been a number of letters lately by persons who have said that the health care system needs overhauling and they are glad to see the bill being passed through Congress. Since they (or any of us) don’t know what the 1,990-page bill contains, it’s like saying “we’ll accept anything, as long as it’s different.”
It’s the same as Obama said in his campaign, “We need change.”.Of course, he didn’t say what kind of change, but we are seeing the results beginning to take place now. Pure socialism, which means government control of every aspect of our lives.
The current health system needs some “tweaking” to make it better, but people flock to this country to take advantage of it, so those that know government-run health care systems obviously prefer ours.
Tort reform would reduce the number of unnecessary tests done merely to protect the backsides of doctors, and allowing more competition among insurance companies would bring insurance costs down. These two simple things would go a long way toward making health care more affordable.
Indigents can already receive free attention without government meddling. My hope is that the monstrous bill now before Congress will not pass.
Ken LaBarge
Sonora

Intolerant rant

To the editor:
I am writing in response to Dorris Kindvall’s intolerant, ignorant and nauseating rant (letter, Nov. 20) at the United States Postal Service for circulating stamps that celebrate Muslims.
That such a government exists that would print materials celebrating more than one set of religious beliefs stands an example of freedom of religion for the rest of the world to follow. By your line of reasoning, I could not send Christmas cards with Santa Claus stamps to family members because this averts the focus of Christmas from Jesus. It is shameful that you, who enjoy so much freedom as a U.S. citizen, would ask to take such a simple token of tolerance of others’ beliefs away from any group because you don’t agree with them.
Jesse Jones
Sonora

Holton fan

To the editor:
I want to take this means to thank Bob Holton for writing “From The Past.”
I have been a reader of The Union Democrat for over 60 years. When I was in the service my mother would send me The Democrat and The Prospector, which was printed in Tuolumne.
Bob, you are doing a great job. Thank you.
Tony Malgesini
Tuolumne

I object

To the editor:
I watched horrified as Republican CongressMEN shouted “I object” whenever a duly elected woman representative, Democrat, spoke in the House of Representatives regarding the Health Care Reform bill. Only the women.
I remember that person shouting “liar” during our duly elected President’s speech in a joint session of Congress. Following the teachings of Jesus, I am trying not to judge. These events plus the disrespect bishops showed our duly elected President after he had been invited to speak at a college, made me decide on a great plan:
Wherever you are, in church, synagogue, temple, council meeting, board of supervisors meeting, or classroom, and the speaker says something with which you disagree, it is OK to shout out “liar” or “I object.”
If elected representatives feel they can disrespect women, I think their message is that we women should go back to being housewives and home with the children. Quit your job and let your strong, smart man support you. You can make cookies, be there when the kids come home from school, maybe tend a garden of veggies, and if you do not have a man in your life, get one fast or go on welfare.
Imagine all the great jobs this will create for men: school teachers, lawyers, doctors, nurses aides, cashiers, hair stylists, waiters, congressMEN — and no women to sexually harass at jobs or in the military. Also, forget voting. That’s for the smart men to do.
Therese Van Tuyl
Jamestown

Still disappointed

To the editor:
I am not surprised, but I am still disappointed in these yearly “Natural Resource Summits” that our Republican representatives foist on our fair city. Radanovich, Cogdill, and the Tucarians hit the citizens of Tuolumne County with a new low by trotting out a climate-change denier.
While this may help to keep the crowd confused and rally it against environmentalists, it is completely irresponsible. Our clean water, air, and beautiful setting are still here because of the shared values of Americans who appreciate these things. While we didn’t make Yosemite, we can be proud that we protected it.
We also didn’t make the toxic Jamestown mine or dump mercury into the streams, but as a nation we did let it happen, and the adverse costs of those bad ideas continues.
I encourage people to educate themselves by reading legitimate nonpartisan news and science sources. Question the information coming from the people who stand to make money from burning coal and oil and the far right which supports them.
Read the analysis of our government agencies, put together by our best scientists. This is more than just a football game between opposing players. We are faced with a slow, enormous disaster, and our local elected officials are doing nothing.
Roy Bridgman
Sonora